The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-10
THE MORNING BATH.
quitting new song in the mouth snd glad
ness In the heart

"Pusting new song in the mouth and glad
ness in the heart.
For clearing the brain, Is well as the
complexion. for dissipating the linger-
ing vagaries of the night and setting
the blood tinsling to the fnger-tips, for
putting new song in the mouth and
gladne5s III the heart that no wine can
give, for making one feel that in spite
OF the lamentations Of the pesSimist
and the Indifference OF the agnostic,
life is worth living to the uttermost,
there is nothing that can take the place
of the morning bath, 1t is said that
in Alaska the Indian boys take a
plunge bath every morning, even when
il Is necessary to break the ice, the
nearest sheet OF water serving for their
bath-tub, and that, on coming out. they
switch themselves dry with rods and
branches. Bnt this heroic treatment,
while it may agree with Alaskan youths
and no doubt tends to make Spartans
of them, would be a hazardous expert
ment for the heirs of our higher civil
ization." Even a plunge into cold
water in a comfortable bathroom gives
too great shock 10 the system 10 he
safely indulged in. except bF those
who have been accustomed 10 ii from
infancy: and however safe ii might be,
it would be mpracticable for the ma
jority of those who live outside the
city limits, as comparatively few coun-
try houses are supplied with bath-tnbs
But a tub of wafer is by no means
necessary for an invigoratiny bath
h,.
classes, urged the importance of the
morning bath, even if not more than a
pint of cold water could be obtained
for the purpose, the benefit depending
more on the friction than on the
amount of wafer used.
For ordinary bathing the foot of a
coarse cotton stocking or a knitted
wash-cloth made to lit the hand, like ::
mitten, is much better than sponge.
but for the upper part of the body
nothing is better than the naked hand.
One should never stand with bare feet
while bathing; either give the feet IA
good rubbing with waSh-cloth and
towel on first getting out of bed. put
ting the stockings and shoes on at
once, or put on Il pair of warm slip
pers and let the feet wait till the rest
of the bath is taken. Then ..girding
the lOins" dash the water over the
throat, chest, shoulders and back, down
to the waist, and after rubbing vigOr-
Ously with moderately coarse towel
put ON the upper under-gaIments and
continue the process. using the wash
cloth instead of the naked hand for the
= IL T..
to consume more than ten minutes in
the operation. and this sort of a bath,
even if taken in fireleSs room on a
November morning will put the bather
in a glow that will last till the re-
mainder of the toilet is made.
Of course for delicate child or an
invalid it would not be advisable to be-
gin this regimen in cold weather. but
if practised during the summer it can
safely he continued through the winter
IN room where there is sufficient heat
to take off the chill. And a child or
an adult who has had vigorous rub
bing from head to foot is much more
likely to come to the breakfast table
rosy and smiling than one who has
washed only the face and hands
The hest time for a warm bath.is nj
night. shortly before retiring. as the
relaxing of the system opens the way
for colds. Many serious cold is
brought on by exposure after warm
bath. | have in mind a young girl
who one bleak afternoon took u warm
bath and little later went sleigh rid
ing. The result was a cold on the
lungs that very nearly proved fatal.
An excess of bathing. even in sum
mer, is more or less debilitating
Scarcely summer passes that We do
not hear of some one who has been
harmed by too much salt water bath
ing: and one NAV be equally harmed
By too much bathing indoors. Per
sons who perspire freely often injufe
themselves, in their over-fastidious
ness, by changing the garments
two or three times in the course of the
day and accompanying every change
with bath as the process necessarily
reduces the vitality. But with man
kind in general the tendency is To do
too little rather than too much bath
ing. In winter, especially, there is
shrinking from contact with water that
is not at least lukewarm; Vet there is
nothing like cold wafer for strengthen
ing the throat and lungs and fortifNing
ane against colds. and if i'll addition TO
the weekly bath with soap and warm
water, that every civilized being is
supposed TO take for simple cleanliness
sake, the masses could be persuaded to
take good rubbing OF daily with cold
water it would 90 Il long way toward
renovating the race physically, intel
lectually and spiritually. For those
who lead a sedentary life this tonic is
even more essential than for those who
are much in the open air.-NaIy Il.
slefght, in Good Housekeeping.